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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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23 January 2009
URGENT ALERT: UK/Palestine – Write to BBC over their refusal to air DEC Gaza appeal ad
Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action required
4. Sample letter
1. Summary
The Islamic Human Rights Commission is outraged over the BBC’s decision not to air the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Gaza appeal ad and asks campaigners to write to the BBC’s Director-General using the sample letter provided.
2. Background
Regarding the BBC’s refusal to air the DEC Gaza appeal ad, Tony Benn stated:
“The decision of the BBC to refuse to broadcast a national humanitarian appeal for Gaza, which has left aid agencies with a potential shortfall of millions of pounds in donations, is a betrayal of the obligation which it owes as a public service.”
IHRC is requesting campaigners to write to the BBC’s Director-General using the sample letter provided, asking them to reverse their decision. With Gazans in urgent danger of dying from malnutrition and lack of medical supplies, aid is needed now more than ever. Please send your letters in and pressure the BBC not to let more lives be lost.
3. Action required
Write to the senior BBC management expressing outrage over their refusal to air DEC Gaza appeal ad
4. Sample letter
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If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is extremely important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.
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Sample letter to the senior BBC management. You may write to BBC Director-General Mark Thompson via his email address Mark.Thompson@bbc.co.uk, and you may CC that to Mark.Byford@bbc.co.uk and Caroline.Thomson@bbc.co.uk . Otherwise, you can send it via their website, at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Mark Thompson
BBC Television Centre
Wood Lane
London, W12 7RJ
[Date]
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Re: BBC refusal to air DEC Gaza appeal ad
I am utterly shocked and outraged over the BBC’s refusal to allow the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza appeal ad to air. Even more disappointing was the baseless reasoning behind it, namely “to avoid any risk of compromising public confidence in the BBC’s impartiality”.
It is not necessary to mention the fact that the recent Israeli attacks have led to the displacement of over 50,000 children, and more than half of a million children having very limited access to water. After such glaringly disproportionate attacks, which saw 1,400 Gazans killed and 5,500 wounded, and when aid is in such urgent need, it is precisely this refusal which makes BBC’s partiality so blatantly clear. Aside from doing an incredible injustice to the people of Gaza and TV License fee payers, BBC has greatly lost the confidence of its viewers. As Rt Hon Tony Benn stated:
“The decision of the BBC to refuse to broadcast a national humanitarian appeal for Gaza, which has left aid agencies with a potential shortfall of millions of pounds in donations, is a betrayal of the obligation which it owes as a public service.”
At such a critical moment while Gazans are dying of malnutrition and lack of medical supplies, I urge you to change your position. Please allow DEC to broadcast their urgent appeal and come to an agreement with other broadcasters to do the same.
I look forward to your reply regarding this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom
Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org
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